Shoe lace clasp



Dec. 13, 1966 T. B. MAXWELL ETAL 3,290,745

SHOE LACE CLASP Filed Aug. 17, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOR EY AGENT 44W1966 T. B. MAXWELL ETAL 3,290,745

SHOE LACE CLASP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1965 FIG. 6

INVENTORS q hiadore B- Maa P// Sol SoLcl ATTORNEY AGENT United StatesPatent Filed Aug. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 480,348 10 Claims. (Cl. 24-120) Thepresent invention deals with a shoe lace clasp and more particularlywith a shoe lace clasp of the type adapated to secure portions of a shoelace extending from the top shoe eyelets against lacing slippage and theresultant lace loosening.

Shoe lace clasps herein contemplated avoid the necessity of tying thefree ends of the laces after lacing to maintain the shoe lacing andprovide the advantage of a simple and easy means for securing the shoelaces without resorting to the inconvenience of bow tying each and everytime the shoes are put on, which is especially difficult for the youngerchildren. The clasps of the invention are, after application andsecuring to the free ends of the laces, releasably adjustably slidablealong the lace portions from the secured ends toward the shoe eyeletsand automatically maintain the adjusted position so that accidentalloosening of the laces is prevented. In short, the clasp is adapted forautomatically adjustable tightening of the laces. A simple releasing ofthe secured ends permits loosening of the laces for removal of theshoes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shoe lace clasp ofsimpleconstruction and which is easily applicable to shoe laces. It isanother object of the invention to provide a shoe lace clasp having asimple and rugged buteifective positive locking action against shoe laceslippage.

Other objects and advantages of the.invention will become apparent fromthe description hereinafter following and the drawings forming a partthereof, in which;

FIGURE 1 illustrates an isometric view of a shoe lace clasp of theinvention in open position with lace applied,

FIGURE 2 illustrates an elevational side view of the clasp of FIGURE 1in closed position with lace applied,

FIGURE 3 illustrates a front view along lines 33 of FIGURE 2 with laceremoved,

FIGURE 4 illustrates a rear view along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2 with laceremoved,

FIGURE 5 illustrates an isometric view of a modified shoe clasp in openposition with lace applied, and

FIGURE 6 illustrates an elevational side view of the clasp of FIGURE 5in closed position.

In accordance with FIGURES 1-4 of the drawings, the shoe lace clasp of.the invention comprises a first clasp member or bottom plate 1 ofsubstantially rectangular form having an aperture 2, e.g., a circularaperture,

. formed therethrough substantially centrally of the plate 1.

The plate 1 is defined by sides 3 and 4 and front and rear ends 5 and 6,respectively. The front end 5 is turned upwardly to provide a snap catchabutment 7 hereinafter more particularly described. A pair of lugs 8 and9 eX- tend upwardly of the plate 1, one on each of the sides 3 and 4,from a location adjacent the end 6 in transverse alignment across theWidth of plate 1. Each lug 8 and 9 is provided with a bore 10 and 11,respectively, in axial alignment with each other.

Incooperative association with the first clasp member or bottom plate 1there is provided a second clasp member 12 of substantially U-shape andsubstantially coextensive with the bottom plate 1. The second claspmember comprises a body portion 13 and legs 14 and 15 extending fromopposite end portions thereof in a common direction to form saidsubstantially U-shaped structure. The free end of leg 14 is providedwith a serrated terminal edge 16. The free end portion of leg 15 iscurved inwardly toward leg 14 to provide a snap catch componentabuttable with 3,299,745 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 ice the catch abutment 7of plate 1 as shown by FIGURE 2. Preferably, at least the leg 15 ofclasp member 12 is formed of a resilient material, e.g., spring metal.

The legs 14 and 15 are provided with substantially centrally disposedslots 17 and 18 between the terminal edges of the legs and a locationadjacent the body portion 13. Extending outwardly from opposite sides ofthe body portion 13 adjacent leg 14 are short journals 19 and 20 whichengage bores 10 and 11, respectively, of lugs 8 and 9 and whereby thesecond clasp member 12 is pivoted for rotational movement relative tobottom plate 1.

In cooperation with the first and second clasp members I 1 and 12 thereis provided a third clasp member 21, for

example, of rectangular plate-like form having front and rear ends 22and 23, respectively, and with narrow tabs 24 and 25 extending from ends22 and 23 in opposite directions relative to each other. The third claspcomponent is also provided with wing 26 and 27 extending outwardly ofthe sides 28 and 29 in opposite directions relative to each other. Themember 21 is further provided with a boss or nipple 30 substantiallycentrally of the bottom face thereof, or the face adjacent the bottomplate 1, with the nipple being oriented for coaction with the aperture 2in plate 1. A spring member 31, for example a compression spring, issecured at one end to the face of the member 21 which is adjacent thesecond clasp member 21, for example by soldering or otherwise, at alocationoppositethe nipple 30. The other end of the spring member issecured to the body portion 13 of clasp member 12 so that the springmember is Positioned between the members 12 and 21. Also, the tabs 24and 25 pass in opposite directions through the slots 17 and 18 whereinthey are movable in the slots along the legs 8 and 9 whereby the member21 is oriented for movement between clasp members 1 and 12 under theinfluence of spring 31.

In operation, while the clasp is open as illustrated by FIGURE 1, thefree ends 32 and 33 of a shoe lace which is laced through the eyelets ofa shoe are passed from below plate 1 through the aperture 2 and throughthe passage between the lugs 8 and 9 while portions of the lace areformed into two loops 34 and 35 extending oppositely of each otheroutwardly beyond the sides 3 and 4 of plate 1. Having so applied thelace, the second clasp member 12 is rotated on its journals 19 and 20toward the first clasp member of plate 1 until the nipple engages thelace in aperture 2 and under spring tension at least partly entersaperture 2. The first and second clasp members are further manuallypressed until the curved free end portion of leg 15 of the second claspmember is snapped into engagement with the catch abutment 7 of the firstclasp member whereby the clasp is effectively locked While the serratededge 16 of leg 14 grips the lace against the plate 1 at the locationbetween the lugs 8 and 9. The clasp is now in a position at somedistance from the top eyelets of a shoe. Thereafter, the two loops aremanually pulled in opposite directions whereby the clasp slides alongthe lace into contact with the top of the shoe while the loops areenlarged. To remove the shoe by loosening the lace, the third claspmember, by means of wings 26 and 27 is raised upwardly toward the secondclasp member 12 whereby the nipple 30 is caused to move away from theaperture 2 permitting sufficient looseness of the lace between theaperture 2 and nipple 30 so that the clasp is now slidable along thelace away from the top of the shoe while the loops 34 and 35 are reducedto provide suflicient slack between the clasp and the shoe to permitloosening of the lacing through the shoe eyelets whereupon the shoe canbe removed.

FIGURES S and 6 illustrate a modification of the invention to the extentthat the nipple 30 and aperture 2 of FIGURES 1-4 have been modifiedwhile all other com- 3 ponents remain identical with the components ofFIG- URES 1-4 and therefore bear identical reference numerals.

In the modified form of the invention, in lieu of the aperture 2 ofFIGURE 1, there is provided an aperture 36 through plate 1 with theaperture being defined by a first collar 37 on the upper surface ofplate 1 and extending in the direction of the third clasp component 21as illustrated by FIGURE 6. In lieu of the nipple 30 of FIGURE 1, thereis provided a centrally located second aperture 38 through the plate 21.The aperture 38 is defined by a second collar 39 extending from thesurface of the plate 21 in the direction of the first collar 37. Thesecond collar 39 is of larger diameter than first collar 37 and isadapted to circumscribe the first collar with a spacing therebetween asillustrated by FIGURE 6. The spacing is sufficient to permit the lacingto pass between the collars under gripping compression when the collarsare telescoped toegther.

In operation, when the loops 34 and 35 are manually enlarged, thesliding of the clasp along the lace provides an upward force against thesecond collar 39 whereby the clasp is automatically slidable along thelace since the upward force against collar 39 compresses the spring 31to permit sliding motion of the clasp. The clasp is not automaticallyslidable in the opposite direction on the lace since such motion onlytends to pull the second collar into tighter compression engagement withthe lace passing between the collars. To loosen the lace, the wings 26and 27 are manipulated toward the second clasp member 12 whereby thethird clasp member or plate 21 and the collar it carries is moved towardclasp member 12 and whereby the collars 37 and 39 are substantiallydisengaged. It is apparent that the operation of the clasp of FIGURES 6and 7 is substantially identical with the operation of the clasp ofFIGURES 14.

Various modifications of the invention are contemplated within the scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe lace clasp comprising a first clasp member having an apertureformed therethrough and a pair of laterally spaced lugs extendingupwardly thereof, a second clasp member comprising a body portion and aleg at two opposite ends thereof and extending in a common direction, anend portion of the second clasp member adjacent one of the legs beingpivotally mounted for rotation between the lugs, a slot in each of thelegs, a plate-like third clasp member having a body portion and a tab attwo opposite ends thereof extending in opposite directions, the tabseach being movably mounted in one of the slots, spring means connectedbetween the second and third clasp members, and a projection means onthe body portion of the third clasp member, the projection means beingengageable with the aperture through the first clasp member.

2. A shoe lace clasp according to claim 1, comprising a catch abutmentmeans on an end portion of the first clasp member remote from the lugs,one of the legs having an end portion engageable with the catchabutment.

3. A shoe lace clasp according to claim 1, comprising gripping means atthe end of the leg adjacent the pivoted end of the second clasp member.

4. A shoe lace clasp according to claim 1, wherein the projection meansis a nipple member.

5. A shoe lace clasp according to claim 1, comprising a pair of Wingmembers extending in opposite directions outwardly of opposite sides ofthe third clasp member.

6. A shoe lace clasp comprising a first plate-like clasp member havingan aperture formed therethrough substantially centrally thereof and apair of laterally spaced lugs extending upwardly thereof from one endportion of the first lace clasp member, a second clasp member comprisinga body portion and a leg at two opposite ends thereof and extending in acommon direction, an end portion of the second clasp member adjacent oneof the legs being pivotally mounted on and between the lugs, a slot ineach of the legs, a plate-like third clasp member having a body portionand a tab at two opposite ends thereof extending in opposite directions,the tabs each being movably mounted in one of the slots, spring meansconnected between the second and third clasp members, a first collar onthe upper surface of the first clasp member circumscribing the aperture,a second collar on the body portion of the third clasp member, thesecond collar having a diameter greater than that of the first collarand positioned to receive the first collar when the clasp is in closedposition.

7. A shoe lace clasp according to claim 6, comprising an aperturethrough the body portion of the third clasp member, and the secondcollar circumscribing the third clasp member aperture.

8. A shoe lace clasp according to claim 6, wherein an end portion of thefirst clasp member remote from the lugs is turned upwardly therebyproviding a catch abutment means.

9. A shoe lace clasp according to claim 8, wherein one of the legs ofthe second clasp member remote from the lugs is turned inwardly and saidinwardly turned end being engageable with said catch abutment means.

10. A shoe lace clasp according to claim 6, wherein the second claspmember has a U-shape.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 736,742 8/ 1903Knapp 24-12O FOREIGN PATENTS 65,926 7/ 1914 Austria.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner.

1. A SHOE LACE CLASP COMPRISING A FIRST CLASP MEMBER HAVING AN APERTUREFORMED THERETHROUGH AND A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED LUGS EXTENDINGUPWARDLY THEREOF, A SECOND CLASP MEMBER COMPRISING A BODY PORTION AND ALEG AT TWO OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF AND EXTENDING IN A COMMON DIRECTION, ANEND PORTION OF THE SECOND CLASP MEMBER ADJACENT ONE OF THE LEGS BEINGPIVOTALLY MOUNTED FOR ROTATION BETWEEN THE LUGS, A SLOT IN EACH OF THELEGS, A PLATE-LIKE THIRD CLASP MEMBER HAVING A BODY PORTION AND A TAB ATTWO OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF EXTENDING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, THE TABSEACH BEING MOVABLY MOUNTED IN ONE OF THE SLOTS, SPRING MEANS CONNECTEDBETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD CLASP MEMBERS, AND A PROJECTION MEANS ONTHE BODY PORTION OF THE THIRD CLASP MEMBER, THE PROJECTION MEANS BEINGENGAGEABLE WITH THE APERTURE THROUGH THE FIRST CLASP MEMBER.